French · Everyday Verbs
"to wake up" in French: se réveiller
se réveiller
To wake up in French is se réveiller. Je me réveille à sept heures means I wake up at seven. Le réveil is the alarm clock — use the reflexive verb here.
Morning routine
En semaine je me réveille à 6 h 30.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce se réveiller
Say it
suh ray-vay-YAY
/sə ʁe.vɛ.je/
Se réveiller: suh ray-vay-YAY. Je me réveille: zhuh muh ray-VAY. Soft ll sound like y.
"to wake up" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| se réveiller | to wake up Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je me réveille | I wake up Present. | Present. |
| réveille-toi | wake up Imperative. | Imperative. |
| se réveiller tôt | to wake up early Habit. | Habit. |
How to use se réveiller in real life
- 1Morning routine
En semaine je me réveille à 6 h 30.
On weekdays I wake up at 6:30.
Je me réveille.
- 2Weekend luxury
Le samedi, on se réveille sans alarme.
On Saturdays we wake up without an alarm.
On se réveille.
- 3Nudge a roommate
Réveille-toi, on rate le train.
Wake up—we're missing the train.
Imperative.
Mistakes English speakers make with se réveiller
Incorrect: Je réveille à sept heures.
Correct: Je me réveille à sept heures.
Keep the reflexive me.
Incorrect: Mon réveil tôt — teach the verb.
Correct: Je me réveille tôt.
Le réveil is the alarm; use se réveiller for the action.
Good to know
French schedules still lean early for school and many offices. People complain about le réveil (the alarm) while conjugating je me réveille. Se réveiller en retard is a classic Monday line.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Planning an early departure
ChatPal
À quelle heure tu te réveilles demain ?
What time do you wake up tomorrow?
You
Je me réveille à cinq heures, hélas.
I wake up at five, alas.
ChatPal
Moi aussi je me réveille tôt. On se croise au café ?
I wake up early too. Meet at the café?
You
Oui, 5 h 45. J'apporte les tickets.
Yes, 5:45. I'll bring the tickets.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to wake up" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to wake up" in French
How do you say to wake up in French?
Se réveiller.
How do you say I wake up?
Je me réveille.
What is le réveil?
The alarm clock — not the verb.
How do you say wake up! ?
Réveille-toi !
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
Keep reading
- Ordering Food in French: Essential Phrases for 2026Ordering food in french - Learn how to confidently order food in French with real-life phrases and tips for 2026 travelers
- 10 Best French Speaking Practice Apps for 2026Find the best French speaking practice app to build fluency. We review 10 top tools like ChatPal for conversation, travel prep, and building confidence in 2026.
